I first met Delia about 38 years ago when I was sent as a ‘temp’ to a now defunct government department, The Wages Inspectorate, and we became friends as well as colleagues.

Originally from Dorset, Delia settled in Ipswich and was an active participant in many local groups: Eastern Angles, Suffolk Bell Ringers, Friends of Christchurch Park, driving the Parkmobile on ‘Music in the Park’ days, as well as volunteering on the St Peter’s-on-the-Waterfront rota on behalf of The Ipswich Society. She also served as treasurer on many committees including the Civil Service Pensioners’ Alliance. Always sporty, she was a keen table tennis player and participated in over fifteen marathons, nine in London, over thirty half-marathons, including the Midnight Sun event in Tromso, Norway and numerous biathlons and triathlons. Delia was a very good cook and loved to entertain and, happily, was able to enjoy her birthday party in February before the final stage of her illness took over.

She could be ‘prickly’ at times, can’t we all, but she will be remembered by her family as a loving partner, mother and grandmother and by me as a steadfast friend. Whenever I see someone careering round the town on a rackety old bike I will think of Delia and I will smile.

Linda Erith

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